Five journalists from across the Dutch and French-speaking media in Belgium were invited to discover the destination with the aim of giving visibility to the Seychelles islands in a variety of newspapers, monthly magazines, blogs and online. As this was the first time in the Seychelles for each journalist, it was important to reveal the diversity of the Seychelles, both in its landscapes, activities, and attractions. Stepping off the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft which operates 4 flights a week to the Seychelles from Brussels via Addis Ababa, they first headed off to L’Escale Resort and during their five nights in the country, the journalists explored the islands of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue as well as the attractions of St Pierre and Curieuse. With the focus on experiencing Seychelles, Tourism Seychelles, its co-sponsors and hotel partners organized a number of activities which the journalists actively participated in, teeing off at the Constance Lemuria Seychelles Hotel’s golf course, going snorkeling and on excursions on Praslin, hiking and learning about environmental preservation in the Vallée de Mai, as well as on La Digue and Mahé islands. The program included an immersion in the islands’ culture, history and heritage with a visit of the capital of Victoria and such sites as the Domaine de Val des Près, the La Plaine St André distillery, Jardin du Roi, the tea plantation and L’Union Estate on La Digue. A high point was the discovery of Creole cuisine, with a cooking class on the last day when the journalists were able to savor and evaluate the authenticity of their own dish of “kari poul” before their departure to Brussels. Hotel partners L’Escale Resort and Constance Ephélia Seychelles on Mahé, and Les Lauriers Eco Hotel on Praslin, who welcomed the journalists during their stay, allowed them to sample the different types of accommodation, atmosphere and locations available on the islands. In total, more than 20 pages on the Seychelles will be published over the next few weeks (not including web versions) to promote leisure travel and holidays to Seychelles on the Belgian market. More news about Seychelles #seychellestourism #ethiopianairlines

Travelers can escape the cold shores of Lake Erie for tropical sunshine Flights into Nassau serve as a gateway to 16 islands with unique vacation offerings to suit each traveler’s individual needs, spanning varied budgets and experiences. The Islands of The Bahamas welcome Ohioans with open arms, turquoise water and plenty of sunshine.  “The inaugural United Airlines flight from Cleveland to Nassau cannot arrive at a better time as Americans begin planning for their next vacation in 2022,” said Deputy Prime Minister the Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Bahamas Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. “The newly added flight options transport Ohio residents to our beautiful islands in just 3 hours. It’s ideal for those who seek a short-haul vacation destination.” There are a host of new developments, hotel re-openings and experiences happening throughout Nassau and Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island, and the beloved Out Islands. All this is making The Bahamas one of the Caribbean’s top must-visit destinations:   The Bahamas landed a top spot in Travel + Leisure’s coveted “50 Best Places to Travel in 2022” list.Baha Bay, a 15-acre oceanfront water park at Baha Mar, opened this year featuring 24 water slides, a dueling water coaster, 500,000-gallon wave pool and winding river.The Boutique Hotel Awards names Over Yonder Cay, an exclusive eco-friendly destination in the Exuma Cays, The Bahamas, “World’s Best Private Villa”.The Cove, Eleuthera will reopen on December 20, 2021. Nestled between two white sand coves, guests can expect to enjoy the ultimate Out Island luxuries of tranquility and privacy. The new nonstop route will operate once a week, every Saturday, departing Cleveland at 9:05 a.m. EST and returning from Nassau at 4:15 p.m. EST.  To learn more about The Bahamas, head to Bahamas.com, while travellers ready to pack their bags can book their flights today by visiting United.com.   The Bahamas is committed to the safety of its residents and visitors and continues to update on-island and arrival policies as necessary. To stay up-to-date on the latest protocols and entry requirements, please visit Bahamas.com/travelupdates.  ABOUT THE BAHAMAS With over 700 islands and cays, and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy fly away escape that transports travelers away from their everyday. The Islands of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the earth’s most spectacular water and beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at bahamas.com or onFacebook, YouTube orInstagram to see why It’s Better in The Bahamas. More information on The Bahamas #nassau #bahamas #bahamasflights

After entering Chapter 11 on May 10, 2020, the company successfully achieved agreements with its creditors, raised fresh investments of $1.7 billion, and obtained approval for its plan of reorganization, emerging with a solid balance sheet, significantly reduced debt, and over $1 billion in liquidity. Avianca has revamped its business model to be significantly more efficient, reaffirming its commitment to providing reliable and on-time service, combining a value proposition that includes the best attributes of low-cost airlines, while retaining key differentiators that allow it to be the most convenient travel alternative for millions of passengers in Latin America and the world.  Looking ahead, Avianca will continue to strengthen its value proposition, adjusting its products and services to the needs of its customers. As per the approved plan of reorganization, the new shareholders will invest in Avianca Group International Limited, a new holding company, which will be domiciled in the United Kingdom and will consolidate the group’s investments in all of its subsidiaries (including Aerovias del Continente Americano, its Colombian subsidiary, and TACA International, its Central American operation). The prior holding company, Avianca Holdings was domiciled in Panama.

Iberia and Kyte – the aviation sector technology company that offers a white label API to airlines as a SaaS – have today announced the signing of an agreement. The Kyte API is a modern and easy to implement tool that allows travel industry distributors to connect directly to all of the inventory of the Spanish airline and access its products in an agile, easy and efficient way. This agreement forms part of the mission of Kyte to offer advanced sales technology in the retail channel to airlines and, at the same time, help them to transform the way in which they fix prices and distribute their products to clients, both through the direct and indirect channels.  Alice Ferrari, CEO of Kyte comments: “We are very proud to be one of the first providers of an API to an airline leader such as Iberia. “Our objective is to help airlines to realise their vision to modernize all of the reservation experience. We offer to airlines new and easy to use tools that are designed to meet the current expectations for online sales. All of this without compromising the level of sophistication necessary to manage the complexity and security needs that the aviation industry demands. “Our intention is to develop a strong and long-term relationship with Iberia and see how they take advantage of the great opportunities that NDC offers.” Miguel Henales, Digital Business Director of Iberia, adds: “The pandemic restrictions have increased consumer expectations and accelerated digital tendencies. Thanks to the technology of NDC we can greater satisfy the needs of clients and offer them an optimum service at the time of reserving and then managing their trip. “Our final objective is to attract more partners to our NDC channel, offering a modern connection like the Kyte API that allows a better distribution of our product.”

Germany has been a very strong market for Jamaica, with 23,000 visitors in 2019 before the pandemic.This will also aid in Jamaica’s mission to increase visitor arrivals from Europe, demonstrated by airline seat capacity between the UK and Jamaica now at 100% of what it was pre-COVID.Jamaica is open for business and is a safe destination with a COVID infection rate nearing zero on the Resilient Corridor. Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, elated by the news of this additional route from Germany, stated that it will undoubtedly strengthen the island’s connection with the European market. “Jamaica was indeed very happy to welcome the inaugural flight from Eurowings yesterday evening. Germany has been a very strong market for us, with 23,000 visitors from their country coming to our shores in 2019 before the pandemic. I know that this figure will increase with nonstop flights now available from Eurowings and Condor,” said Bartlett. “This flight from Germany will also aid in our mission to increase visitor arrivals from Europe, which my team has been actively engaging with. In fact, airline seat capacity between the UK and Jamaica is at 100% of what it was pre-COVID. We want to assure our partners and future visitors to the island that Jamaica is open for business and is a safe destination with a COVID infection rate nearing zero on the Resilient Corridor,” he added. The Eurowings Discover aircraft, which had 211 passengers and crew, was greeted with a water cannon salute at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) upon arrival. The passengers were welcomed by Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon; German Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Dr. Stefan Keil; Executive Director of Jamaica Vacations Ltd. Joy Roberts; and Regional Director at the Jamaica Tourist Board, Odette Dyer. The new service will fly twice weekly into Montego Bay, departing Wednesdays and Saturdays, and enhance access to the island from Europe. It is important to point out that Jamaica is looking at receiving 17 nonstop flights per week out of the United Kingdom. Additionally, Swiss leisure travel airline, Edelweiss, started new once-weekly flights into Jamaica while Condor Airlines restarted roughly twice-weekly flights between Frankfurt, Germany and Montego Bay in July. Eurowings is the Lufthansa Group’s low-cost airline and, as such, part of the world’s largest aviation group. They operate a fleet of 139 planes and specialize in low-cost direct flights across Europe.

Emirates has shared strong ties with Seychelles since 2005 and the island nation remains a very important market for the airline.The agreement just signed outlines mutually beneficial activities to boost trade and tourism to the country.This includes trade shows, trade familiarization trips, exhibitions, and workshops.   The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean, and Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary for Tourism, Tourism Seychelles. The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism and Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer. The ceremony was also attended by Emirates executives: Orhan Abbas, SVP Commercial Operations Far East; Abdulla Al Olama, Regional Manager Commercial Operations Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean; Oomar Ramtoola, Manager Indian Ocean Islands; Silvy Sebastian, Business Analysis Manager West Asia & Indian Ocean and Bernadette Willemin, Director General for Destination Marketing at Tourism Seychelles; and Noor Al Geziry, representative of Tourism Seychelles in the Middle East Office. Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates, said: “Emirates has shared strong ties with Seychelles since 2005 and the island nation remains a very important market for us. The agreement signed today is a strong testament to our commitment and support to the island-nation. We thank our partners for their ongoing support, and we look forward to continue growing our successful partnership.” On his part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde said: “Emirates airline has been constant and steadfast with their support towards Seychelles and we are indeed grateful for that. Therefore, we would like to express our support for the coming year with the hope that it will be a better year for both Seychelles and the airline.” The agreement outlines mutually beneficial activities to boost trade and tourism to the country, including trade shows, trade familiarization trips, exhibitions, and workshops.   Emirates launched operations to Seychelles in 2005 and the airline currently operates daily flights to the island-nation, utilizing its wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates was the first international airline to resume passenger services to Seychelles in August 2020, coinciding with the country’s re-opening to international tourists. Since January 2021, Emirates has carried close to 43,500 passengers to the island-nation, from more than 90 destinations, including top markets, United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Russia, Belgium and the United States of America.   

With over 700 islands and cays and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy flyaway escape.The Islands of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating, birding, and nature-based activities.There are thousands of miles of the Earth’s most spectacular water and pristine beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. NEWS  Coral Vita Earned Recognition for Its Environmental Sustainability Efforts – Coral Vita earns a top 15 finalists spot in the inaugural Earthshot Prize in the “Revive Our Oceans” category for their continued efforts to preserve the world’s coastal ecosystem. Reimagined Sandals Royal Bahamian Prepares for Reopening – Sandals Royal Bahamian is on track to reopen January 27, 2022, and guests can expect to enjoy 200 fully renovated rooms and suites, five new restaurants, private island hideaways and a new Island Village. Rosé Paradis Garden Opens at The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort – The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, partnered with Château d’Esclans to present Rosé Paradis Garden, an enchanting pop-up experience that transports guests from the storied Versailles Gardens of Paradise Island to the South of France. The experience is open Wednesday to Saturday, November 11, 2021, through February 11, 2022. The Moorings Reopens in The Abacos Next Month – The Moorings makes its triumphant return to The Abacos after two years following the devastation of Hurricane Dorian and will resume offering charter vacations beginning December 2021. Bahamas Charter Yacht Show Returns – It’s official, the 2022 Bahamas Charter Yacht Show will be held at Nassau Yacht Haven February 24 – 27, 2022 featuring more than 10 charter yachts and over 40 charter brokers. The Bahamas Shines Bright with World-Renowned Recognition – The Islands of The Bahamas took home several wins across various categories in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Readers’Choice Awards and was named “Caribbean’s Leading Luxury Island Destination 2021” in the 28th annual World Travel Awards. PROMOTIONS AND OFFERS  For a complete listing of deals and packages for The Bahamas, visit here.  Atlantis Paradise Island Offers Special ”Singles Day” Package – Atlantis Paradise Island celebrates National Singles Day on November 11, 2021 with a special 24-hour bookable offer. The “Singles Day” Package includes up to 4-day accommodations at The Cove, The Royal and The Coral, respectively, along with $111 daily resort credit. Travel window: November 11 – October 31, 2022. $500 Air Credit for Black Friday and Cyber Monday – Holiday travelers receive a $500 air credit when pre-booking an air-inclusive 7-night package at a participating Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board member hotel. Bookable between November 26 – December 2, 2021, and valid for trips between November 28 – January 31, 2022. Blackout dates apply. ABOUT THE BAHAMAS  With over 700 islands and cays and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy flyaway escape that transports travelers away from their everyday. The Islands of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating, birding, and nature-based activities, thousands of miles of the Earth’s most spectacular water and pristine beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at bahamas.com or onFacebook, YouTube orInstagram to see why It’s Better in The Bahamas.

A highlight of the discussion was the possibility of introducing a special service between Dubai and Jamaica, in celebration of Jamaica Day at Expo 2020, Dubai in February 2022.There was also a productive discussion around tourism and airline recovery prospects.Further discussions are anticipated to enable a more fulsome engagement of the Emirates and other partners in the Middle East. A major element of the wide-ranging discussion was the possibility of introducing a special service between Dubai and Jamaica, in celebration of Jamaica Day at Expo 2020, Dubai in February 2022. “We agreed to explore the feasibility of arranging this flight, details of which are to be worked out as soon as possible. There was also a productive discussion around tourism and airline recovery prospects and the positive V-shape pattern being experienced by Jamaica and Dubai,” said Bartlett.  He anticipates further discussions in the context of multi-destination strategies being formulated in the northern Caribbean to enable a more fulsome engagement of the Emirates and other partners in the Middle East. Emirates is the largest airline in the UAE, and the Middle East overall, operating over 3,600 flights per week. While in the UAE, Minister Bartlett and his team also met with the country’s Tourism Authority to discuss collaboration on tourism investment from the region; Middle East tourism initiatives; and gateway access for North Africa and Asia and facilitation of airlift. There were also meetings with executives of EMAAR, arguably the largest and most prestigious hospitality and Real Estate/Community developer in the Middle East; DP World, one of the world’s largest port and marine logistics companies; DNATA, the single largest tour operator in the UAE and TRACT, a powerful tour operator in India. “The round of marketing activities my team and I had with the key tourism and logistics partners in the UAE, were very fruitful.  This will undoubtedly result in the process of securing new investments, markets and gateways from the Middle East, Asia/Asia Minor and Africa to Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean,” Minister Bartlett explained.  From the UAE, Minister Bartlett will head to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he will speak at the 5th edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII). This year’s FII will include in-depth conversations about new global investment opportunities, analysis of industry trends, and unparalleled networking among CEOs, world leaders, and experts. He will be joined by Senator, Hon. Aubyn Hill in his capacity as Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), with responsibility for Water, Land, Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs), the Special Economic Zone Authority of Jamaica and special projects. Minister Bartlett will return to the island on Saturday, November 6, 2021.

An uptick has been noted by both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines along with Expedia.As of November, American Airlines will be utilizing their new wide-bodied Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner for these operations.Southwest Airlines informed that their flight operations into Montego Bay (MBJ) near-term are very close to pre-pandemic record year levels. “American, Southwest and Expedia are all critical partners for Jamaica’s tourism sector, and we look forward to welcoming many more visitors in the near future,” said Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett. “Confidence in growth for Jamaica’s tourism remains strong and we will maintain our world-class Jamaica CARES health and safety protocols, including our Resilient Corridors, to ensure a robust winter.” To meet the higher demand for Jamaica, American Airlines will be up gauging the aircraft utilized on flights to Montego Bay (MBJ) from their major city hubs of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), and Philadelphia (PHL). As of November, they will be utilizing their new wide-bodied Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner for these operations. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is one of the carrier’s newest planes, offering a more comfortable flight experience with additional conveniences for both business and economy class passengers. American Airlines is the largest air passenger carrier serving Jamaica. It operates multiple daily non-stop flights to the destination from several U.S. cities including Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), Chicago (ORD), Boston (BOS), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW, and Charlotte (CLT). The airline also recently announced that they will be operating non-stop flights 3 times weekly Sun/Mon/Thu from Philadelphia (PHL) to Kingston (KIN) starting November 4. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines has informed Minister Bartlett that their flight operations into Montego Bay (MBJ) near-term are very close to pre-pandemic record year levels. This demand growth indicated by American and Southwest is further supported by Expedia, which has data showing room night and passenger growth metrics surpassing a comparable period in 2019. These updates were provided during meetings with the airlines and Expedia that were among a series of meetings held with travel industry leaders across Jamaica’s largest source markets of the United States and Canada. The meetings aimed to drive increased tourist arrivals in the near term and to cement further investment in the island’s tourism sector. Joining Minister Bartlett at these meetings was the Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, John Lynch; Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Senior Strategist in the Tourism Ministry, Delano Seiveright and Deputy Director of Tourism for the Americas, Donnie Dawson. Jamaica remains open for travel and continues to welcome visitors safely. Its health and safety protocols were among the first to receive the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels recognition that allowed the destination to safely reopen to travel in June 2020. The island has also recently announced new cruise developments and ninety percent of planned tourist investments remaining on track.

The air carrier will offer 3 weekly flights between Rome Fiumicino and Sydney (with a stopover in Perth) operated with Boeing 787/900 Dreamliner – a new generation aircraft specially configured by Qantas to offer services dedicated to an extended stay on board – with a three-class cabin configuration and 42 seats in Business, 28 in Premium Economy and 166 in Economy, for a total of 236 seats overall. For the first time in the history of civil aviation, it will be possible to fly directly between Australia and Continental Europe. There will be a non-stop connection between Rome and Perth, the westernmost point of the Australian continent, in a flight lasting 15 hours and 45 minutes. Passengers from Rome will also be able to choose whether to continue on the same aircraft to Sydney or start their stay in Australia by visiting Perth ”, announces the joint note from Rome and Qantas Airports. Rome will, therefore, be the first and only point in Continental Europe to be directly connected to Australia, as Qantas operates another direct flight but towards London. The choice of Fiumicino will allow Qantas to interconnect its passengers to the main European destinations, including Athens, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Nice, Madrid, Paris and 15 points in Italy such as Florence, Milan and Venice via Fiumicino, thanks to collaboration agreements with other partner airlines operating on the Roman airport. In this case, there is persistent talk of an upcoming interline agreement with the new Ita Airways. “Since the borders have reopened,” said Alan Joyce, CEO of the Qantas group, “we have immediately encountered a strong demand from our customers to discover new destinations. The resumption of traffic and the demand for a greater number of connections following the pandemic has made direct connections to and from Australia even more attractive and desirable in a context in which we have learned to live with the virus and its variants. “After the restrictions of the last few years, now is the ideal time for Qantas to reinvigorate its international network and explore new market opportunities. “The new route will bring new visitors to Australia by strengthening the domestic tourism industry.” “Australia enjoys a global reputation as a friendly, safe and attractive tourist destination, and by flying directly from Rome visitors will be able to experience the ‘Australian Spirit’ even before arriving.” “With great pride,” said Marco Troncone, CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, “today we celebrate Italy as the landing country of the first ever direct flight from Australia to continental Europe. Rome and Italy thus give a great signal of confidence and recovery, confirming the attractiveness of the largest market in terms of volumes between Australia and Continental Europe, with around 500,000 passengers who flew between the two countries in 2019 with intermediate stop. “This important milestone is the result of a long collaboration between Qantas and Adr with the support of national institutions and is only the beginning of a path that will strengthen the already relevant social and economic relations between Australia and Italy, facilitating the development of passenger and freight mobility in the near future.” More information about Australia #italy #australia

Indications are that future hotel bookings, meetings, and other hotel-related activity will be impacted by the presumed expectation of future travel impediments, whether self-imposed, company-imposed or government-mandated, according to HotStats. October data, which had only Delta to deal with, saw a striking resurgence in the Middle East, bolstered by Expo 2020 in Dubai, a 182-day World Expo that began at the beginning of October and runs through March. Other global regions were not able to replicate the success of Dubai and the broader Middle East. In the US, major indices were still down double digits in October 2021 v. October 2019. Since a rapid uptick in occupancy from the beginning of the year through the summer, hitting an apex in July, occupancy in the US has since more or less flatlined, a signal that the leisure boom could not be sustained at the same levels prior. After Austria reinstituted a lockdown on November 22, it has extended it until December 11, becoming the first EU country to take such a measure in the face of the COVID-19 surge. Portugal reintroduced tighter restrictions, making face masks mandatory and mandating a digital certificate proving vaccination or recovery from COVID in order to enter restaurants, movie theaters and hotels. As Asia-Pacific continues to piece together its comeback, it, too, is tightening borders in response to the Omicron specter. Japan this week announced the country would bar foreign arrivals, only weeks after easing restrictions for visa holders, including short-term business travelers and international students. And the Philippines has barred arrivals from seven European countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. What about flights? On the other hand, as many travel experts ponder whether the new Omicron variant will crash holiday travel plans, a recent survey by Medjet (run in mid-November, sent out to an email opt-in base of over 60,000 travelers), showed that prior surges and variants didn’t have travelers rushing to cancel plans. The airline also announced, as of close of business yesterday, the highest November overall sales in the company’s almost 30-year history. As of November 15, over 84% of the airline’s members who responded had future travel plans in place. 90% reported planning to take a domestic trip in the next nine months (65% within the next three months), and 70% expected to take an international trip within the next nine months (24% within the next three months). While 51% of them reported that previous variants and spikes had affected their future travel plans, only 25% of respondents reported having actually canceled because of them. Additional findings included: •             51% said previous variants and spikes had already affected future travel plans (27% answered “no,” 23% weren’t sure yet). •             45% said becoming infected with COVID-19 and variants was of concern, while 55% listed other illnesses, injuries or safety threats their top concern. •             Of those concerned about COVID, only 42% were worried about testing positive and not being able to return; 58% were more concerned about being hospitalized for COVID while away from home. •             Business travel was still way (way) down, with only 2% responding that their next trip would be for business. •             70% intend to travel with family, 14% with friends, 14% solo. As a reminder, the current US Omicron restrictions only apply to foreign nationals. For US citizens and visa holders returning to the US, the re-entry requirements are still the same: a negative COVID viral test no more than 3 days prior to return flight for fully vaccinated passengers, no more than 1 day for unvaccinated passengers. More information on requirements, and definitions of “fully vaccinated” can be found on the CDC website.   

Delta Airlines is named as the best US domestic airline, while Ana All Nippon is named the best international airline in the world, in new research. The 5 best domestic airlines in the USA RankAirlineArrivals on Time (July 2021)Complaints Jan-June 2021Staff Service (/5)Meals (/5)Seat Comfort (/5)Inflight Entertainment (/5)Maximum Baggage Allowance (kg)Airline Index Score /101Delta AirLines86.7%494333323.08.92Hawaiian Airlines87.7%115333222.58.53Horizon Airlines83.5%17433122.58.44Alaska Airlines77.5%211333223.08.15JetBlue65.1%665333322.57.7 Taking the top spot is Delta, scoring highly as it has the second-highest percentage of arrivals on time (86.7%) and a relatively low number of complaints, 494 from January to June of 2021. Coming in second is Hawaiian Airlines. Based in Honolulu, it is the tenth-largest commercial airline in the US. Despite coming second overall, it is the most punctual airline with 87.7% of flights leaving on time. However, it is let down by the lack of inflight entertainment, only scoring two out of five. The 5 best international airlines around the world RankAirlineComplaints Jan-June 2021Staff Service (/5)Meals (/5)Seat Comfort (/5)Inflight Entertainment (/5)Maximum Baggage Allowance (kg)Airline Index Score /101Ana All Nippon Airways345444239.62Singapore Airlines234444309.53Korean Air Lines214444239.24Japan Air Lines Company454444239.25Qatar Airways2674444259.0 Based in Tokyo, Ana All Nippon Airways is the largest airline in Japan by both revenue and passenger numbers. It ranks the highest in customer-rated staff service, the only airline in our list to score full marks in our airline index for this factor. It also has a relatively low number of complaints at 34. Singapore Airlines ranks number two due to its high baggage allowance of 30 kilos, a low number of complaints (23), and high seat comfort, having won awards for their aircraft seating. Singapore Airlines scores four out of five for every category in our index, so it’s no surprise this carrier comes second in our ranking as the best international carrier. The 5 worst international airlines around the world RankAirlineComplaints Jan-June 2021Staff Service (/5)Meals (/5)Seat Comfort (/5)Inflight Entertainment (/5)Maximum Baggage Allowance (kg)Airline Index Score /101Viva Air Colombia121111203.42VivaAerobusS272111153.63Volaris Airlines3792221104.04Ryanair33322104.25Interjet4902221254.6 The low-cost airline Viva Air Colombia is named the worst airline in the world. This carrier scores one out of five in our index for meals, seat comfort, and inflight entertainment due to the fact that few amenities are offered to customers free of charge. Although it did receive the lowest number of complaints overall. Based at Monterrey International Airport in Mexico, VivaAerobus Airline carries passengers internally as well as operates international flights to cities in the US. It scores one out of five in our index for both inflight entertainment and meals and two out of five for staff service.   The full report can be seen here.

Heads of product and directors of the island’s travel trade companies came together for refresher training sessions on the destination’s selling points, COVID-19 health entry requirements, stay conditions for travelers, as well as a brief on product developments within the destination since the re-opening of the Seychelles border. The sessions, conducted by Bernadette Honore, Tourism Seychelles’ Senior Marketing Executive in La Réunion, aimed to build up momentum and interest among the French department’s travel trade decision makers as well as building up confidence in the destination ahead of the flights to Seychelles next month. “Throughout this pandemic, we have been continuously updating travel trade professionals on the destination, especially in regard to the COVID-19 health regulations and stay conditions for travelers.  Having a one-to-one contact with La Réunion travel trade’s decision makers helps to rebuild the relationships, which our business entails, and mostly importantly, to instill their confidence to sell. Travel trade professionals are key partners in increasing airline load factors. Gaining their commitment to restart sales to Seychelles at this point in time is crucial for the destination and a rebound of visitor traffic from La Réunion to Seychelles,” said Ms. Honore. Air Austral representatives were also present during the two sessions, showcasing the airline’s new fleet of aircraft assigned to regional routes including Seychelles and encouraging the professionals present to push sales to the Seychelles. Both sessions were animated with questions, especially about the health and entry requirements and stay conditions for travelers. At the end of the sessions, La Réunion’s travel trade professionals expressed their satisfaction with having received adequate information to not only pass on to their clientèle, but most importantly, give them the reassurance to travel to Seychelles. The training sessions are part of marketing activities organized by Tourism Seychelles in Réunion. Televised spots will also be aired. The resumption of flights on December 19 will also provide opportunities for residents of the sister Vanilla Island to travel to Seychelles to join cruise vessels sailing within the archipelago’s waters and to explore the Inner and Outer Islands. To note that 5,791 visitors from La Réunion visited the Seychelles in 2019 prior to the pandemic.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, convened a full committee hearing.It was titled “Implementation of Aviation Safety Reform.”It examined the urgency of implementing aviation safety, certification and oversight reforms mandated by the Aircraft, Certification, Safety and Accountability Act (ACSAA) of 2020. Senators discussed the approach of the FAA to effectuating ACSAA and its work to implement provisions of the legislation in accordance with congressionally mandated timelines. For three hours, Dickson discussed topics such as the FAA’s delegation and certification processes, safety culture and systems oversight practices since the passage of ACSAA as well as the impact of COVID on current aviation schedules. Several family members were able to attend the Senate hearing today either in person or via the internet.  Michael Stumo of Massachusetts, who lost his daughter Samya Rose Stumo, 24, in the crash, applauded Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) for asking when the FAA will stop trusting Boeing with regulating themselves. Dickson said the FAA is now retaining some regulatory functions, but Stumo pointed out that means the manufacturer continues to regulate itself on many levels.  Stumo added, “The manufacturer will not change until its self-regulation authority is pulled.  Boeing must then re-prove it is competent and trustworthy.” Nadia Milleron of Massachusetts, who lost her daughter Samya Rose Stumo, age 24, in the crash, approached Dickson after the hearing and said, “Don’t let Boeing sell planes unless required pilot training is in place for that particular plane.”  His response was that he would look into it.  One of the major issues regarding the crashes of the Boeing 737 MAX was that initially Boeing executives blamed the pilots; however, the planes were allowed to be certified with a new software system on which pilots were not initially trained nor was the new software system included in the plane’s manual.  Stumo and Milleron personally attended today’s hearing. Ike Riffel who lost both of his sons in the Boeing crash in Ethiopia said, “Boeing did not only defraud the FAA, they defrauded the flying public and the entire world and their actions resulted in the deaths of 346 people. Our FAA will never be the ‘gold standard” of aviation safety as long as fraud and deceit are allowed to go unpunished.” Chris Moore of Toronto, Canada, father of 24-year-old Danielle Moore who was killed in the Boeing crash in Ethiopia, has been very vocal on aviation safety issues.  Hewas upset that over half of today’s hearing was related to non-Boeing 737Max issues and said, “The Senate should have called this hearing, ‘Hey Dickson, What Up?’ Senators need to take this aspect of safety seriously – they can have a separate discussion about other matters at another hearing.” Families and friends who lost loved ones in the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX jet in 2019 continue to ask Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to terminate the aircraft maker’s ability to certify its own airplanes, a provision allowed in a program called the Organization Designation Authority (ODA) that allows third parties to perform functions of the FAA. Hundreds of family and friends who lost loved ones on Boeing 737 MAX aircraft petitioned DOT officials, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Dickson to withdraw Boeing’s ability to certify its aircraft because “it has become clear that Boeing is not a company that can be trusted with the public safety responsibilities conferred by the ODA,” according to their petition to the DOT dated Oct. 19, 2021.  The petition cites 15 reasons why Boeing misconduct requires the FAA to terminate Boeing’s ODA including the company’s “deceiving the FAA” about the methods the MAX aircraft operated “by way of misleading statements, half-truths and omissions,” creating “an ODA culture that applies undue pressure to engineering personnel so they are not able to exercise independent judgment free from organizational conflicts of interest,” and “failing to insulate the ODA from Boeing’s profit motives.” On another front, Mark Forkner, former chief pilot of the new Boeing aircraft, is set to stand trial in Forth Worth, Texas federal district court on a six-count indictment for his actions involving the 737 MAX, including lying during the certification process of the new aircraft.  He pled not guilty in federal court in Texas Oct. 15, 2021. His trial is set for Dec. 15 in Forth Worth federal court. Tomra Vocere of Massachusetts who lost her brother Matt in the crash, said, “Mr. Forkner did not act alone in the engineering snafu that killed 346 people and should not be the only indictment in this mass casualty.  The offering of a mid-level employee is an insult to anyone who lost a family member on Boeing’s planes.  The unfolding of the investigations, litigation, congressional hearings, and panels produces nothing:  no transparency, no accountability, no admission of guilt or systemic culture change at Boeing or the FAA.  Mr. Forkner is a sorry scapegoat as there is no atonement in Boeing’s offering: no executives, no board members, no justice.”

Jamaica Tourism is carving out new markets in the Middle East that will give connectivity to Africa, Asia and Asia Minor.In discussions with Saudia Airlines there is an understanding that the ambition is for engagement by summer 2022.The broader strategy is to have Jamaica become the hub for connectivity from the Middle East to the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and areas of North America. This announcement follows Minister Bartlett’s recent travels to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to explore investment opportunities and boost tourism travel to Jamaica. “The last two weeks have been very eventful for us in trying to carve out the new markets in the Middle East that will give us the connectivity to Africa, Asia and Asia Minor. We have had discussions in Dubai and in Riyadh. The discussions with Saudia Airlines are well advanced and we’ve had an understanding that there is an ambition for engagement by summer of 2022,” said the Tourism Minister. “The details of that arrangement are being worked out with Saudia and another carrier that will make the possibility for connectivity easier and more seamless in the short run. So we are very excited about seeing the Middle Eastern gateway opening to Jamaica,” he added. Minister Bartlett noted that the broader strategy is to have Jamaica become the hub for connectivity from the Middle East through to the Caribbean, Central America, South America and areas of North America. This will position Jamaica as being central to air connectivity between the East and West. “We are very confident that we will see results from this in short order as both airlines that we have spoken to have shown a strong appetite for the Caribbean and, more so, Latin America,” he said. Saudia, formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. It is the third largest in the Middle East in terms of revenue, behind Emirates and Qatar Airways. It operates domestic and international flights to over 85 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

A delegation of Seychelles dignitaries welcomed the return of Air France to the island nation.Seychelles was removed from France’s red list, and this is expected to boost visitor arrivals.It will also help improve occupancy not just in hotels, but also in the smaller guesthouses and self-catering establishments and bring more visitors to Praslin, La Digue, and the other islands. The 203 guests flying in from France on this first flight were given a taste of creole hospitality as they received local souvenirs from the Department of Tourism and experienced the lively spirit of the Seychellois through live traditional music. To commemorate the return of the direct connection of the island nation to one of its key traditional markets, and of Seychelles being placed on the approved “Liste Orange” for French travelers, a delegation comprising the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde; the French Ambassador, His Excellency Dominique Mas; Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs. Sherin Francis; and Director General for Destination Marketing, Mrs. Bernadette Willemin were present to welcome the arrivals. Mrs. Willemin commented that the removal of Seychelles from France’s red list and the return of Air France is not only expected to boost visitor arrivals, it will help improve occupancy not just in hotels, but also in the smaller guesthouses and self-catering establishments and bring more visitors to Praslin, La Digue, and the other islands. “Having Air France back on our shores is a great moment for our destination. France remains a market that is performing well for us despite the lack of direct flights and the fact that we were on the red list. With the availability of a direct flights to Seychelles as from today, we are forecasting the French market would not only do well in terms of visitor arrivals but also to regain its place in the top three markets.” The outlook is positive, Mrs. Willemin said. “We are delighted that the six first flights expect full passenger loads and with reports from our French travel trade partners, who have stepped up their promotion of the destination, that their forward bookings to Seychelles are healthy and looking good. Our tourism operators locally, especially the smaller establishments and on islands other than Mahé, have missed our French guests and will be delighted to welcome them back.” Ambassador Dominique Mas mentioned that having a direct connection will help ease the journey of travelers to Seychelles. “The improvement of the sanitary situation in both countries has indeed contributed to the restart of travels between France and Seychelles. The decision to place Seychelles on the ‘orange list’ and the arrival of Air France today reiterates the confidence of both governments in the good functioning of their respective safety measures. We are happy to have a direct flight back from the Paris Charles De Gaulle airport as it is now easier for French travelers to get to Seychelles,” said the French Ambassador. Seychelles, which went back to physical promotional activities in September, recently participated at the 2021 IFTM Top Resa exhibition, one of the main international trade fairs dedicated to tourism in France, Mrs. Willemin said. “IFTM Top Resa was a promising event for us as we noticed a renewed interest in our destination and allowed us to increase our visibility in the media in France.” Seychelles recorded 43,297 visitor arrivals from France in 2019, making it the country’s second top market for that year. So far in 2021, 8,620 visitors from France have travelled to the islands. With the return of Air France, the Seychelles is now served by 11 airlines.   #rebuildingtravel

European travelers can now book a much-deserved winter break from one of Ryanair’s new winter routes to Amman or Aqaba.This includes exciting destinations like Madrid, Paris-Beauvais, Poznan, Rome-Ciampino, and Vienna.To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a JOD 17 (€19.99) seat sale for travel until the end of March 2022, which must be booked by midnight Wednesday, October 27. Ryanair’s Amman W21 schedule will deliver: •             16 routes in total •             5 new routes from Madrid, Paris-Beauvais, Poznan, Rome-Ciampino and Vienna •             Over 370 on-site jobs Ryanair’s Aqaba W21 schedule will deliver: •             6 routes in total •             1 new route from Vienna •             Over 50 on-site jobs European travelers can now book a much-deserved winter break from one of Ryanair’s new winter routes to Amman or Aqaba, including exciting destinations like Madrid, Paris-Beauvais, Poznan, Rome-Ciampino, and Vienna. To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a JOD 17 (€19.99) seat sale for travel until the end of March 2022, which must be booked by midnight Wednesday, October 27, on Ryanair.com. Speaking from Amman, Ryanair’s Director of Commercial, Jason McGuinness, said: “As Europe’s largest airline, we are delighted to announce our largest ever schedule to Jordan, further strengthening the long-standing cooperation between Ryanair and the Jordan Tourism Board. As Ryanair takes delivery of 55 additional Boeing B737-8200 ‘Gamechanger’ aircraft this Winter, we are delighted to announce six new routes (22 total) to Amman and Aqaba, which demonstrates Ryanair’s ability to rapidly rebuild tourism in Jordan. “Jordanian tourism will recover strongly this Winter 2021, and Ryanair who will be at the forefront of this, are pleased to announce our largest Winter schedule to Jordan – operating flights to 22 routes across 14 countries, allowing Ryanair customers to experience the Wonder of Petra or valleys of Wadi Rum.  “To celebrate we are launching a seat sale to celebrate our Winter routes to Jordan, with fares available from just JOD 17 (€19.99) for travel until the end of March 2022, which must be booked by midnight Wednesday, October 27, 2021. “Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.” Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, stated regarding broadening the prospects for cooperation between the two parties: “Signing of this Agreement by the JTB and Ryanair and reaching a total of 22 routes in Jordan will increase the numbers of tourists, producing sustainable tourism solutions that will be received by all governorates throughout the Kingdom. It will also promote the diverse Jordanian tourism sector and local communities by creating new employment opportunities for those in the sector. “With the addition of these new six routes, there will be an increase in the number of tourists to the Kingdom with an average of 39,000 tourists for the upcoming Winter and Summer season, which will in effect have pronounced positive financial impact on all other tourism sectors.”

A recent survey the Jordan Tourism Board completed indicated that 2022 is poised to break travel records to DC.65 percent of trade operators in the United States have travel bookings in the fall of 2021 to Jordan, compared to only 15 percent the season prior. With clear COVID protocols in place throughout the country, travelers should feel at ease visiting Jordan. “We are excited to launch the new capital to capital, Washington DC to Amman, service, making it easier to connect more people to Jordan and the rich heritage and culture that the country has to offer,” shared Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President International Network and Alliances. The announcement from United shows the airline’s confidence in the destination as international travel starts to pick up after the devastation of the pandemic. The move also supports a recent survey the Jordan Tourism Board completed that indicated that 2022 is poised to break travel records to the destination. The survey also showed that 65 percent of trade operators in the United States had travel bookings in the fall of 2021, compared to only 15 percent the season prior.  “We are excited to welcome the legacy carrier to Jordan to help open up business between the two capitals Washington DC and Amman. We always welcome American travelers to the Kingdom to experience the incredible culture and the diversity Jordan has to offer.” Shared Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board. “We are looking forward to welcoming United Airlines to Amman, and working together to bring even more travelers to experience our incredible country,” said Malia Asfour, Director of the Jordan Tourism Board North America. “With clear COVID protocols in place throughout the country, travelers should feel at ease visiting Jordan. This is a big step in linking Jordan’s capital with Washington DC, and encouraging American travelers to book a meaningful travel experience at world-renowned attractions like Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea.” To learn more about the new route, visit united.com/en-us/new-routes.   To learn more about meaningful travel to Jordan visit the website visitjordan.com.